Your Racquet Timeline

[elkwood]

hmm lets see

1 some metal rac that was given to me
2 Dunlop cheapie
3 Dunlop max 200g -- kept breaking them
4 Prince approach 90 -- awesome ! rac
5 Set of original pro staffs
6 Yamaha Secret 04 -- Heavy and super stiff
7 Dunlop max 800
Stopped playing do to a injury
8 Dunlop Absober 98
9. Prince speed port blk -- Reallly nice rac but it broke on me
10. Yonex ai 98
11. Yonex xi 98

 

[colan5934]

1. Wilson Hyper Hammer 4.3 (Blue and Black one)
2. Wilson NCode 6.2 110
3. Volkl DNX 10 Mid
4. Microgel Prestige MP
5. Pure Drive '09
6. Pure Storm Carbon Xtreme
7. Pure Storm GT
8. Pure Storm Tour GT, tried some Pure Control Tours and they feel so different that I don't like them.
9. Currently searching. Done with competitive tennis, so I'm looking for something a bit easier to use with a bigger sweet spot, probably a lighter weight too. Still have a Pure Drive and I'm liking it. The Wilson Burn isn't too great. Can't groove with any Head sticks except the Rad Pro, but that one hurts my arm. Might just have to hit more and keep my Pure Storm Tours

 

[samrocksmyshire]

Cheapo Wilson Hyper Hammer
Babolat AeroPro Drive precortex version
Babolat Pure Drive+ Lite
Wilson nCode 90
Wilson nCode 95
Wilson KFactor 90
Wilson nTour 2
Wison KPro Tour
Head Youtek Prestige Mid
Wilson KBlade Tour
Wilson KBlade 98
Head Youtek Prestige Pro
Volkl PB10 Mid Black/Yellow (LOVE this racquet. Too demanding for match play, however)
Wilson Blade 98
Volkl Organix 10 Mid
Volkl C10 Pro
Prince Tour 98 ESP*
Wilson Six.One 95s*
Volkl Super G 8 315 - Current
Volkl Organix V1 Pro - Current

*Sadly, I was jaded by the open string patterns of the Six.One 95s and 98 ESP.

Plan on testing out the new Volkl Super G Mids as they are completely different specs and the new V1 Pro coming out in a bit. But I do not plan on straying from this company--dedicated Volkl fan at this point.

 

[rsmith]

1) Wilson Prostaff BLX 90

2) Wilson 6.1 65 (amp feel)

3) Wilson PS 95s (16x15)

4) Back to the 6.1

5) Wilson PS 97

 

[happyloman]

Pro Kennex
Prince O3 Red
Babolot Pure Storm Ltd
Yonex Si 98/Head Speed S

 

[rsmith]

Wilson T2000
Kneissl (Mint Green)
Wilson PS 6.1
Yonex Cyborg 2200 & 2300
Dunlop Revelation Classic Pro
Head Pro Tour 280 (Made in Austria)
Wilson 6.2
Babolat Pure Drive
Head IG Radical MP
Head IG Prestige MP
Head IG Prestige S
Volkl VI Pro
Wilson PS97
Hope I'm done for a while. Really like the PS97.

Holy smokes, how do you guys afford all those!?

I like the PS97 too; what's your string setup like?

 

[klao]

1. Prince Classic (Aluminium)
2. Rossignol F200 Carbon
3. Prince Spectrum Comp Series 90
4. Prince CTS Blast MidPlus
5. Wilson ProStaff 6.0 85
6. Wilson ProStaff 6.0 95
7. Wilson ProStaff Tour 90
8. Wilson nSix-One Tour 90
9. Wilson KFactor Six-One Tour 90
10. Wilson Six.One Tour BLX (90)
11. Wilson BLX ProStaff Six.One 90

 

[Turbo-87]

1. Prince O3 Shark Hybrid (2012 first year playing)
2. Prince O3 Hornet (2013 cracked)
3. Babolat Pure Drive 2012 (2013-early 2014)
4. Head Microgel Radical MP (June 2014 - present)

 

[Alien]

Dunlop Maxply
Yamaha (a red one, dont remember the model)
Slazenger Vilas
Puma Boris Becker

(like 15 years without playing)

Pure Drive OS (2003)
Prince O3 (2005) Coria´s racquet
Boris Becker Pro (2008)

(4 years without playing)

Wilson Steam 99s (2013)
Wilson Juice 100s (2014)
Wilson Blade 98s (2015)

 

[akatim]

Late 70's
Old wood garage sale racquet
Wood Slazenger

1980's
A couple aluminum racquets, don't remember brands.

Returned to tennis 2005
Prince 03 Red
AeroPro Drive (loved this racquet, shouldn't have sold)
AeroPro Drive Cortex, didn't like it.
Dunlop Mfil 300. Got it cheap, still have it.
Aeropro Control, didn't like it.
Wilson K-faktor 6.1 (I think that was it?)
Injured shoulder
Volkl c10
Pro Kennex Redondo MP, liked it but shoulder was worse than I thought.
Quit tennis for shoulder recovery 2009

Returned to tennis 2013
AeroPro Drive 2013

 

[fundrazer]

Fun thread

Started with a Federer walmart stick pretty much
Got a K six one 90 for xmas (swiss relative surprised me with that. She asked TW for the Federer racquet )
Babolat Pure drive Roddick
Microgel Prestige MP
Yonex Rdis 200
BLX Prostaff 95
Head Anniversary Prestige MP

 

[Laver777]

volkl quantum 6
yonex rdx 500mid
yonex rds001 changed when they discontinued rdx500 never really liked them as much though)
wilson k factor tour 90
yonex tour g330

Ive tried a few others too and I cant really remember my actual first racquet

 

[ricki]

- Donnay Victory 95 (never found any info of it anywhere)
- Prince Blue 100
- Prince Rebel 95
- Prince Hybrid Tour 95
- back to Prince Rebel 95
- now with Prince Tour ESP and thinking of Rebel or Babolat APD original...

 

[donnyz89]

-

 

[jazzpanther]

Jack Kramer Pro Staff (wood)
Wilson Sting
Wilson Kramer Pro Staff
Dunlop 200G
Prince Percision Response 770
Volkl V1 Quantum
Dunlop Aergogel 500 Tour
Babolat APD
Yonex Ai 98

 

[skiracer55]

I was thinking about this the other night...

...it'll take me a while to come up with a list, and it'll only be close, not definitive. My guess is that I've played with 60 or more rackets during my playing career...

 

[bkirk]

Cheap racquet from sporting goods store
Dunlop Aerogel 4D 500
Dunlop F3.0 Tour
Head Graphene Speed Pro
Back to F3.0 Tours
Head YT IG Extreme Pro 2.0(lasted a couple days)
Back to F3.0
Head Graphene Speed Pro LTD
Back to F3.0
Head YT IG Prestige S (lasted a couple days)
Back to F3.0
Yonex Ezone AI98

 

[DJTaurus]

@bkirk back to f3 after ai98?

 

[KANZA]

$5 Kay bee toy store racket in 1988 that looked like a Wilson T 2000 (didn't work)
Racketball racket (also a no go)
Prince power pro 90 1988
Yamaha secret ex 1990
Dunlop 200g max 1991 - felt like I had a brick in my hand
Time off 1994-1999
Wilson 6.1 classic long 1999
Yonex ti-1500 long 2002 - best serving racket I ever had
Wilson pro staff 6.0 2004 - still revert to this every so often in practice to force myself back into hitting with proper mechanics
Babolat pure drive plus (2007-present)

Tried lots of fun rackets in between for short time:
Wilson pro staff 90 2003 - a disappointing hyped new coming of the ps6.0 85
Wilson PS 6.0 95 - not similar to the 85 as one might expect
Head prestige intelligence 2003 - not a terrible racket either, but too powerful
Estusa Becker 2002 - not enough power
Head classic 600 2003 TW edition- very smooth. wish I spent more time trying this one out
Wilson triad 6.0 (not a horrible racket as one might expect with the goofy triad technology. Really similar to the babolat pure drive)
Dunlop 300g 2003- powerful but lost a little on the control side

 

[eyedropper]

Kneissl White Twin Star (1987)
Wimbledon HM 88 (1988)
Wimbledon Total Eclipse 2 (1990)
Wilson Pro Staff Classic 6.1 (1992)
Prince Precision 690 (1998)
Fischer Revolution Pro Classic +1.5cm (2003)
Fischer Pro Tour (2006)
Prince Ignite Team (2010)
Prince Tour 100T (2015)

 

[seekay]

Prince Vortex SB MP (97 square inches)
Prince Extender Thunder 880PL (122)
Prince Thunderstick OS (110)
Prince TT Airstick B950 MP (100)
Prince More Approach OS (105)
Prince Tour Diablo MP (100)
Wilson nTour Two MP (95)
Wilson kBlade Tour (93)
Prince Tour Diablo Mid (93)
Yonex RDS 001 Mid (90)
Wilson Pro Staff 6.0 Mid (85)
Wilson K Pro Staff 88 (88)
Wilson BLX Pro Staff Six.One 90 (90)

Since then:

Wilson K Six.One 95 16x18
Wilson BLX Six.One 95 S (weighted up to traditional Six.One specs)
Wilson Pro Staff 97 (grip built up, weight added to be close to Six.One)
Wilson Pro Staff 97 Roger Federer Autograph

 

[Backhanded Compliment]

Ok I think Ive done this before but I'll annotate this version:

1) Chemold Rod Laver Bamboo, was my 1st. I loved the look of it and had never heard of Rod Laver, I was 10 and had simply borrowed my parents sticks or racquetball sticks before then. Even for lessons I used their sticks.

2) McEnroe Plus. My first aluminum stick... a mid was huge compared to the Laver

3) Dunlop Max 200G Early version Used from 1984-1989 for high school varsity

4) Wimbledon Graphite Eclipse Comp 88 (then I got injured in college)

5) Babolat Pure DriveRoddick (hurt my arm but was coming back after 16 years)

6) Prince Black LB (better on arm but needed control) Started to change my fh grip to semi western

7) Head Prestiges Youtek MP and Pro, and an IG MP. I found I wanted even more control and less power + more flex like a pt630 with a 16x19 drill pattern

8) Pacific X Feel Pro 95 gave me what I wanted... mid like pinpoint control but MP sweetspot for groundies and returns. Nice flex and better spin than the prestiges

 

[bkirk]

@bkirk back to f3 after ai98?

I'm going to give the Ai98 a few months before i decide. I've been using the AI98 for almost a month now and I don't plan on turning back at this point. The F3's are in the closet out of sight out of mind.

 

[darklore009]

Wilson N4-> Wilson K6.1 95 (16x18)-> Wilson BLX 6.1 95 (16x18)-> Wilson BLX 6.1 Tour-> Wilson Prostaff 6.1 90-> Wilson Prostaff 90 (2014 ver)-> Wilson RF 97-> Wilson Blade 98 18x20 (potential switch)

 

[derski]

In the past 2.5 years:

1. Volkl PB 8
2. Babolat APD Cortex
3. Wilson 6.1 95s
4. Wilson Pro Staff 95
5. Head Graphene Prestige MP
6. Head Graphene Prestige Pro
7. Technifibre TFight 300 Dynacore (hopefully for the next 12 months)

 

[Johnny505]

.

 

[The_Racketeer]

Dunlop something, nothing special
Wilson Sledgehammer
Head i.Radical
Prince Warrior 100
ProKennex Ki Q5
Prince Classic Graphite 100

 

[Dan Z]

Started playing in 1987
Karakal metal frame
A very old white Yonex (graphite)
Another Yonex (SRQ somthing? Hingis endorsed it)
Donnay Ghost or somthing
Yonex RD7
Yonex RD power 10 long
Yonex RDS002 tour
Dunlop microgel 200
Babolat pure storm tour GT
Yonex vcore 100s
Yonex vcore XI 100
Yonex Ai100
Yonex Ai 98 (which i will stay with til they stop making them... best racquet I've ever tried )

 

[bobtodd]

Holy smokes, how do you guys afford all those!?

I like the PS97 too; what's your string setup like?

Volkl V-Star 17 (Orange) @51 lbs. Comfort, feel, spin and power. What more could you want. Big fan of Volkl strings. If you play a lot, then V-Star is the string for you. Plays like a multi with much more spin.

 

[diggler]

Bjorn Borg Junior
Dunlop Volley
unknown Slazenger
Donnay Academy Pro
Wilson Hammer 3.0
Babolat Pure Drive 107
back to Donnay Academy Pro

 

[BoomstickTPH]

Wilson Federer 110
Blue head racquet
Ti-s6
Babolat Pure Drive 2012
Head Microgel Monster
Head Ig Speed 16x19
Babolat Aeropro Drive
Wilson Blade 93
Wilson Blade 2015

 

[Kuvesh]

Below is my racket chronology since 1986 when I was 10 years old:

• Slazenger Black Panther (youth size, aluminum bought from Kmart)
• Puma Boris Becker Super
• Prince CTS Thunderstick
• Prince CTS Approach
• Yonex RQ240
• Wilson Hammer 6.4
• Head Radical Tour (1998)
• Head Radical Ti (1999)

*** did not play 2000-2012***

• Babolat Aeropro Drive
• Wilson Pro Staff six.one 100
• Wilson Blade 104
• Wilson Steam 99S
• Yonex ai98

Thinking back, the Thunderstick always bring a smile to my face because the power it produced at that time was unprecedented. I was already a big server and with this racket I was blowing people off the court (but it wasn't good for my shoulder).
My favourite of all time would be the Prince CTS Approach. My memories (which may not be the same as reality) were that I could do anything with that racket.

 

[TR3NT]

Since I can't remember my junior racquets I will start from first adult racquet

Head Ti. Heat
Head Ti. Fire
Head Ti. Radical
Head i.radical
Head i.prestige

Then stopped plasying tennis for 13 years and now mainly play with Head Graphene Speed Pros/Pro LTD and sometimes still have a hit with the prestiges.

 

[NickJ]

A while back I did a list of every racquet I've ever had/used (including those I only had for a short time and didn't use with any great regularity) -


Racquet History (no particular order) -
Head 660 Graphite Master
Head Magnum
Head Radical 690
Head Liquid Metal Radical OS
Head Liquid Metal Prestige
Head Speed Pro
Slazenger Pro Braided
Dunlop Muscle Weave 200g
Donnay Pro One
Donnay Formula Pro
Prince Thunderstick
Prince CTS Approach
Prince Original Graphite OS
Mizuno
Wilson Sting
Wilson Pro Staff Classic & Tour Edition
Wilson Tour 90
Wilson ncode Pro Staff Tour 90
Wilson ncode SixOne 95
Wilson KFactor Tour 90
Wilson Pro Staff Original 6.0 95 & 85
Wilson Pro Staff 95S
Wilson Pro Staff 95
Snauwert Ergonom
Fischer Vacuum Pro
Fischer M Speed Pro Number One
Fischer Pro One
Pro Kennex Redondo Type C
Vantage Custom
Babolat Pure Storm
Babolat Pure Drive
Babolat AeroPro
Boris Becker Delta Core London
Volkl C10 Pro Ext.

 

[Pmasterfunk]

Head Lite Tour 630
Wilson Hammer 5.2
Head Pro Tour 280
Head Premier Tour
Wilson Pro Staff 6.0
Head i.Prestige Mid
Boris Becker 11
Tecnifibre TFight 325
Bridgestone X-Blade 3.25

 

[gino]

Kinetic Pro 15G Light
Wilson nCode nSix.Two (100sq in.)
Wilson nCode Six.One 95 16x18
Wilson K-Factor Six.One 95 16x18
Wilson K-Pro Open Tour
HEAD MicroGel Prestige MP 18x20
HEAD Youtek Radical MP
HEAD MicroGel Prestige MP 18x20
HEAD Youtek Prestige MP 18x20
Wilson BLX Six.One 95 16x18
Wilson BLX Six.One 95 16x18 2012
HEAD Youtek IG Prestige MP
HEAD Youtek IG Radical Pro
HEAD Youtek IG Speed 300 Customized
Wilson BLX Six.One 95 16x18 2012
Wilson Pro Staff 97

 

[zalisander]

Rossignol F200 Carbon (begged my mother buy me them because it was Wilander's frame)(still have it)
Yonex R23
Yonex R24 (for a month. loved the slice backhand, everything else suffered)
Yonex R23
Rossignol F280
Rossignol F295
Donnay Pro One International MP (from 1994ish to 2007)
Yonex Power RD10 Long (shortened) for a couple of months in the early 2000's
*stopped playing tennis until this year*
Donnay Pro One International LTD MP (Tennis warehouse) **** purchase
Dunlop Hotmelt 300G (on sale at **************)
current bouncing between to two frames above

 

[scmyers]

Wilson Jack Kramer woody (from a garage sale with press)
Pro Kennex Bronze Ace
Pro Kennex Graphite Comp (High school tennis)
Prince Pro Aluminum (High school tennis, kept breaking the Pro Kennex and too $$$ to keep buying)
Head Comp Pro
1991-2011 No tennis
Wilson K-factor Six.One
Head Youtek Speed Pro (White one)
Head Graphene Speed Pro
Babolat Pure Drive Tour
Wilson Pro Staff 97

 

[Doc Hollidae]

Graphite Director
Hammer 6.2
Radical Tour Twin Tube OS
Ti. Radical OS
LM Radical OS
Prince Ozone Tour
Prince Speedport Tour
Youtek Speed MP 18/20
Pure Drive Roddick 2012
Pure Aero Tour
Graphene Speed Pro
Project One 7

 

[n8dawg6]

22 yrs ago:

yonex rq-60
prince CTS Synergy Lite

quit after about a year cause i sucked and wasnt getting any better.

present:
Speed Pro XT
pcg100 and redondo for S&Gs
keep dabbling in pure drives for some reason

 

[n8dawg6]

oh yeah, and I've sold a truckload of mids

 

[macross27]

Last few racquets :
Wilson Pro Staff 97 ( liked it till I tried RF 97 )
Yonex AI 98 ( tried it since it got so many good reviews. ended up choosing ps 97 over ai 98 )
Wilson Pro Staff RF 97 ( liked everything except its weight )
Wilson BLX 90 ( bought it as a training tool to keep my eyes on the ball )
Wilson K Factor tour 90 ( liked blx 90 so much, wanted to try a heavier version of blx 90. )
Customized Wilson Pro Staff RF 97 ( bought a lighter version RF 97 and customized a bit more to my liking. Current )

 

[The_Racketeer]

Random Dunlop
Wilson Sledgehammer
Head i.Radical
Prince Warrior 100
PK Ki Q5 295
Prince Classic Graphite 100
Angell TC95

 

[jdhaynes]

Started playing 2014
1. Babolat Pure Drive
2. Babolat Aero Pro Team
3. Yonex V Core si 100
4. Babolat Pure Aero
5. Wilson ProStaff 97

 

[cedm]

Wilson T2000
Wilson Jack Kramer Autograph
Wilson Jack Kramer Staff (the graphite/fibreglass precursor to the PS Original 6.0)
Black Knight Aero 70
Dunlop Max 200g (several actually... stunning racquet sadly given to warping)
Wilson Staff (miscellaneous pre-strung high-beam series racquet)
Wilson Pro Staff Hammer 4.0 (the purple one)
Wilson Pro Staff Hammer 5.9
Wilson Pro Staff Original 6.0 85
Yonex RQ-380 (I'll admit, I bought it because the paint job was beautiful and something about it was shapely and enticing... it was rarely played with)
Wilson H4
Dunlop Biomimetic Max 200g
Dunlop Biomimetic 300 LITE
Wilson Pro Staff 90 (2014 edition)

Still have all of them The ones that I continue to play with:

#1) Wilson Pro Staff Hammer 4.0 - much maligned for its light weight, stiffness, and head-heaviness, but I love it. I can generate any amount of power, manoeuver it like there's nothing in my hand at all, and with soft strings and a cushy grip its the most comfortable thing in the world. I'll use it for any opponent, any court, any time. It is still my 80%-of-the-time racquet. It also has the best racquet case ever made.

#2) Wilson H4 - Pretty much the same as the Hammer 4.0 but obscenely large. It helps my serve as I get older.

#3) Wilson Pro Staff 90 - My go-to when playing doubles. The stability on volleys is great.

#4) Dunlop Max 200g - Sometimes you just have to have fun. And that racquet is fun. And nostalgic.

#5) Biomimetic Max 200g - A great all-arounder that's very comfortable to hit with. And pretty cool looking.

 

[WYK]

Let's see what I can remember..

Various 72 sq in wood rackets from WIlson to Bancroft to Dunlop to Donnay - dating back to 1977 ish.
TAD Davis wood rackets for a bit(beautiful, beautiful sticks those)
Head Edgewood(like, butter, except it cost a whole lot more)
Yamaha YFG 50(which, to this day, I feel is the most buttery stick I have ever used. I bought it used for $5 in 1979, was it? I miss Magnum P.I., btw)
Head Edge Aluminum
Prince Classic
Prince Pro(metal, far better than the Classic in much the same way dying in a fireball is better than being burned at the stake)
Dunlop XLT 15(the best metal stick I ever used, bought two, lasted me 2 years before breaking. I cried a little. They weren't cheap)
Prince Woodie(sworn off metal by this time, but growing tired of the weight of wood even if it did feel better. Smelled great.)
Head Graphite Edge(grew tired of OS sticks, got two of these used, because couldn't afford the DUnlop graphite xlt at the time)
Prince POG Mid(Saved up enough for an XLT graphite, then this came along. Stuck with this for a few years through college, great with gut at 60-62#)
Used the POG OS (when I came back in to tennis after a Hiatus - got a job after college)
Wilson six one 95 (surprisingly stiff, and yet somehow felt great)
Head Ti Heat
Dunlop 300G second in feel to the Diablo
Prince Diablo MP(to this day, my favourite of the bunch in feel by a long shot)
Babolat PD 2005 team(got in a trade, and found it surprisingly comfortable to use)
Wilson six one 95 again(Dunno what is is about the 95's. I just like the feel)
Yonex RQIS 95 Tour 1 (best feeling and playing Yonex I ever tried)
Babolat Aero Storm (won an interclub match with this stick)
Wilson Blade 18X20 OG
Dunlop M 3.0/F3.0
Back to Prince with the Tour 100's and o3's.

And now I am experimenting more with strings than sticks.

 

[gmatheis]

Prince Graphite Pro (110 I think)
Wilson pro staff 4.5 (this was a wide body)
Wilson hammer 5.2
Volkl Powerbridge 10 Mid
Wilson Pro Staff RF97A

 

[beltsman]

Cheapo box store racquet
Wilson BLX 110
Spalding ATP Tour Pro 200
Prince Rebel Team 98
Dunlop MW 200G
Wilson Pro Staff 90

 

[Henry Hub]

Slazenger wooden junior racket that probably weighed more than any racket I've played since.
Some late 80s Dunlop aluminium filth
Head Elektra Master - slow and unresponsive, so suited my game perfectly...
Head Ventoris 660 - great fun
Head ti carbon 1000 - great for the price once leaded up
Head ti carbon 1300 - as above
Head youtek prestige pro - god's own stick

 

[snafu]

Spalding woodie
Some Wilson cheapo
Prince Precision 110
Head Atlantis
Pro Staff Stars & Stripes
Pro Staff 6.0 95
------19 yr break------
Pro Staff 6.0 95 and looking